WARM WEATHER WISH LIST

WARM WEATHER WISH LIST

Today it dawned on me that summer is right around the corner. No longer is it socially acceptable to wear my trusty black jumper coated in cat fur. It is, however, slightly more weather appropriate to wear my crocs. That's always a plus.

As well as realising that I share the same skin pigment as the piece of blank A4 paper sitting next to me, I realised I'm completely unprepared for the warmer weather. All I have in my wardrobe are yarns of wool, a pair of earmuffs, ski gear and my favourite nap-time blanket. Or, in other words, nothing obnoxious to wear to the beach. Basically I need new clothes.

Here's a collage I whipped up containing some of the things on my alliterative #WarmWeatherWishList.

1. Handsom 'Navy Short Sleeved Shirt' - $99
Oversized printed shirts are priceless in hot weather and this one is killer.
2. American Apparel 'Le New Big Tee' - $46
When your Bintang singlet is in the wash it's handy to have a white t-shirt to deflect the sun's evil rays.
3. American Apparel 'Long Sleeve Tennis Shirt' - $65
Because it reminds me of The Royal Tenenbaums and my failed tennis career. Sportswear swaggie.
4. Vanishing Elephant 'Powell Green Embo' shirt - $110
You can't really see it, but this shirt has little embroidered coloured flags sprayed across it. It represents my belief in cosmopolitanism. Deep.
5. American Apparel 'Printed Short Sleeve Tropical' - $80
I don't need to explain why everyone needs to have a hawaiian shirt in summer. I don't and I won't.
6. Liv Wealthy 'Star Tee' - $50
Even though black clothing pulls the sun towards my albino skin, I still live in Melbourne and by contract must wear black all year round. Plus this one kind of looks like Givenchy.
7. Vanishing Elephant 'Keegan' pants - $150
These pants feature some embroidery too, this time an intricate trail of roses. A good alternative to plain chinos!
8. New Balance '1300' - $230
Again I'm not athletic so I don't know why I want runners of all things, but I just do and I DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO ANYONE. #sensitivetopic #nocameras #getyourcameraoutofmyfaceNOW!!!

MUSIC: PLAYLIST #5

I curated a new playlist perfect for a humpday kick. I hate people who say "humpday". I think everyone does. Gross. Anyway it has some new tracks on it including a remix of my favourite The xx song from Coexist, Fiction; one of my favourites from Willowbeats who I saw again last Saturday night; Le Youth with Cool, their incredible reinterpretation of Cassie; and a mashup of Kanye and Chromatics. Nice!

PUT YOUR BACK IN IT from dylanmccarthy on 8tracks Radio.

TWO MONTHS

TWO MONTHS

And as the Spring sun rose from the mountains, as did the procrastinating blogger from his bed, after having abandoned his massive readership for the past two months.

TWO MONTHS. Two. Ni. Duo. II. It's a long time to procrastinate. It wasn't even on purpose, either. So don't be offended for the two months of neglect, I really didn't mean it. Lol that's just like the time my mum left me in the car whilst she went grocery shopping and by the time she returned I was a welted slug n she just said "sry" and I said "*slug noises*" and then she made me promise not to tell child servic-- OH GOD this fictional story is turning so morbid #DidITurnEmoInTheLast2Months :S

Me as a slug sitting down

I think this calls for a catchup. What has been happening in my exciting life recently? (Spoilers: NOT MUCH)

1. I GOT AN INTERNSHIP

All year I've been sending awkwardly-worded-with-too-many-puns-lol-just-like-this-blog-yolo emails to various websites, magazines, companies, supermarkets – YOU NAME IT –  gushing to them about how I'm an eager first year student and how good I am at stapling bits of paper together (unless the document is more than 6 pages thick because that's kind of hard when your biceps are made of sponge) and how I can vacuum storage cupboards to a pretty high standard AKA pls let me intern for you.
I was really desperate to get a taste of the industry I'm studying about, and even though I knew I chose the right course, I wanted a direct confirmation that I was heading in the right one direction. My search was futile for six months. "No Dylan," they said. "We have tiled flooring so your slightly-better-than-average vacuuming skills aren't needed here."

Me vacuuming and singing Casey Chambers :((

When it seemed like there was no place in the world for a small town kid who just wanted to vacuum, my prayers were answered after I sent yet another awkwardly worded email to Beat Magazine. They arranged an interview for the following day where I had to write a few pieces of copy for them and the next week they told me the good news. All joking aside this was a #rlybigdeal and I think I fainted for three days when they sent me an email that didn't start with "unfortunately," or "fuckoffDylan". I was getting pretty sick of having an inbox filled with hundred of emails like this:

What does high calibre mean? Leave your answers in the comments below!!

But yes, interning at Beat has been amazing. I've been there for about six weeks now, mainly writing copy for the music news and "hot talk" sections. They haven't even sent me on a coffee run yet – I'm actually doing real work. I should probably be pleased but at the same time it's in my intern blood to want to run up and down a busy Melbourne road carrying four trays of coffees whilst getting splashed with puddle water by ongoing cars. It's been great to see how a magazine operates behind-the-scenes and contributing even the tiniest of roles in the whole process has been so exciting and I can totally see myself doing something like this as a career. It also helps that everyone in the office is obsessed with YOLO (they even snuck it onto one of the covers) and they pay me in beer.

Simpsons jokes will get me a bigger audience =]

I can hear the chants of "WHO CARES" from outside my window and you're right: positive news is boring. I know that my #ThousandsOfReaders are here to see me fail and it's weird to see me moving in a positive direction. Especially when I spend most of my time tweeting about leaf blowers or soiling my pants with boiling weetbix. Don't worry I'll make another blogpost when I get fired – if you're lucky I'll just make a two minute video of myself crying with Bleeding Love playing in the background.

2. I LOST MY WALLET ON A BOAT

YOLO.

3. I LOST MY PASSPORT
I hope that someone at least makes a good fake ID out of it. Also YOLO.

4. I LOST A BIT OF MY FRONT TOOTH
I chipped my tooth but I got it fixed so dw.

5. I GOT A PART-TIME JOB
Not quite as exciting as an internship at Beat, but I got a job at Coles. It's really fun to walk between aisles for four hours when you're hungover especially when someone asks you where the MAYONNAISE is and you have to scour through tubs and tubs of mayonnaise for the exact brand they want :) Hey, at least it pays the bills.

"Wait how are we communicating they're not speech bubbles they're thinking bubbles"

"Oh my god Pepito we are mind readers"

MUSIC

And to finish our two month reunion, here are some of my favourite tracks of recent times. I'll make a proper playlist next time!

• Wild Nothing - 'Shadow'
• Terrible Truths - 'Don Juan'
• Cherub - 'Doses and Mimosas'
• On An On - 'Ghosts'
• Les Sins (Toro Y Moi) - 'Fetch'
• Obviously The xx's album 'Coexist' has been getting more than its fair share of play time. 'Fiction' is probably my favourite track so far.
• Major Lazer 'Get Free (What So Not Remix)', Grimes 'Genesis (Easy Girl Remix)' and Flosstradamus' 'Rollup (Bauuer Remix)' are (still) doing wonders for nights spent out and about!

MUMBLING ABOUT MUSIC

July: The Month of Music

Today on the #blawg I'm going to chat about some music-related topics. I kind of wish I wrote this on a Monday so I could get some 'Music Monday' alliteration going on but I think I brought it home with 'The Month of Music', no? Anyway, let's just launch straight into it:

Gig calendar for July:

Pls ignore the stuff about the dentist. Can't believe I left that on =[

I saw Willow Beats for the second time last Friday and they were incredible (again). They hypnotise their audiences with an odd juxtaposition of dreamy vocals and dubstep-infused beats, causing everyone to emphatically sway in unison like some kind of cult. 
Fun fact: the last time I saw Willow Beats I drunkenly told the singer how 'amAzgNIG' she was and that she looks exactly like Chloë Grace Moretz (which I probably pronounced wrong) so now I can't look her in the eye. #MoreLikeSadFact

The Rubens were surprisingly impressive live. In all honestly I only went because the tickets were $15 but they actually sounded like seasoned professionals, not a band on the verge of releasing their first album. The crowd at the Corner Hotel went crazy for their infectious summer tracks armed with catchy guitar riffs, and then waved their glowing iPhones back-and-forth in silence during their very Kooks-esque ballads. I even bought their EP at the end of the gig, pictured later down, because I was that impressed. Oh- and to the girl at the front who was wildly waving a double black and incorrectly miming the lyrics all night... I like double blacks as well lol =]

So now I've got The xx, Lana Del Rey and Youth Lagoon to look forward to. I reckon by the end of the month I'll perfect my gig stance. I'm still trying to find the middle ground between the "fuck yeah I'm so into this right now I'm going to nod my head like ape shit and sing every word so everyone knows that I ROCK" stance and the "na bro I'm too cool to 'move' or 'bop' so I'll just stand here like a badass statue lol I'm better than you xox" stance.

Blawg question of the day: whats UR #gigstance? R u an #ApeShitRager or a #BadassStatue? #AudienceEngagement

Some music I'm loving this July:

• Seatraffic
  I took this from a write-up I did for ITNO.co.uk. Check out the full thing here. Oh yeah, I'm writing for a website other than my own now! Fun times.
  
  “We make dreamy synth pop!” Seatraffic sum themselves up perfectly in those five words because that’s exactly what they do. Who are these “dreamy synth pop” wizards? They are the San Fransisco duo of Mark Zannad and Brandon Harrison.
  
  
  Seatraffic first appeared with their debut self-titled 5-track EP on Bandcamp last November. This year they’re back again with a two-single 7″ vinyl, “Crimes”, set to release on August 1st. In the meantime you can download the title-track for free on SoundCloud. 
  This is my favourite track of theirs: "Leave It Alone".
  
  

• Twin Shadow
  Last week George Lewis Jr made a return with his second album 'Confess', and it received the same level of praise as George Lewis Jr's debut effort (his name is so good that I refuse to use pronouns). Sonically, George Lewis Jr hasn't changed the Twin Shadow formula that much, in fact, it sounds very similar. That's not an insult though, because George Lewis Jr didn't leave much room for improvement with George Lewis Jr's first album. George Lewis Jr simply confirms that George Lewis Jr is a true master of pop music. This cathartic track has been in my head ALL WEEK. Don't let that put you off, though:
  
  
  

• Purity Ring
  Purity Ring are set to release their first full length album "Shrines" later this month and I've already been loving what they've shown us so far. Synth pop at its finest. Check out the brand new clip for "Fineshrine" and see if you understand what the fuck is going on. Hint: you won't.
  

What is l i f e

Music loving ME this July:

Yes, you heard right. This month I've been getting a lot of love from various musicians. I've gotten so many offers to join bands recently it's a joke. Take a look for yourself:

Thanks Seatraffic but I live in Australia? :S

Not very professional of you, The Rubens.

Others included Muse (gross), Black Eyed Peas (...no) and K-POP band 2ne1 (sorry girls I don't speak Korean). Everyone wants a piece of my #yoloswag.

Playlist #4: GOLDEN LIGHT

Playlist time! Featuring some of the artists I mentioned throughout this post like Seatraffic and Twin Shadow, this fourth playlist is the mellowest of marshes. Did u get it? Coz marshmellows? Leave a comment below if u got it lol. Hopefully I led you to some new music and if not, I owe you a double black.

GOLDEN LIGHT from dylanmccarthy on 8tracks Radio.

AW12 WISH LIST

Winter Wish List: Best of AW12

Ignoring the blatant irony in making a wish list straight after rambling about my unemployment, I've decided to put together my favourite AW12 collections and things I want (to steal) from them. It's almost the middle of winter now and labels are in the midst of releasing their high winter drops into stores. There's so much good stuff out at the moment, but here are my 5 favourite Australian collections from this winter season so far (in no particular order):

1. Handsom
Handsom is a brilliant Melbourne brand I first discovered at Comeback Kid before finding them in the racks of Fat. Many a time have I tried to walk out of stores with pieces from their new AW12 collection stuffed in my backpack. The staff are always very understanding though- I think Handsom-related attempted thefts must happen quite a lot.
The new collection stays true to the ultimately clean-cut, minimal ethos of the label. As always, they've put out some great staple pieces like the plain cable-knits which come in both jumper and cardigan form; patterned knitwear; classic shirting as well as some jersey basics. Mixed amongst the navy and earthy tones are unexpected splashes of yellow and orange which appear in small doses on jumpers, backpacks and also on the end of a (pretty sweet) beanie as pictured below.
Check out the rest of the line at Handsom's online store.

Images from Handsom

2. Zoologie
Zoologie are another Melbourne-based brand. I had seen a feature on them in Acclaim Magazine before accidentally discovering their Manchester Lane store one rainy day on my way to uni. Unsurprisingly, I bought one of their rain coats (the one in the first picture below) not just because I was already soaking wet but because, clearly, it was incredibly neat. Neat? Does anyone say that anymore?
The menswear is made up of classically cut shirts and jackets. But it's the addition of patterned panels that makes each piece in the collection unique. For example, the khaki jacket I bought with felt camouflage detailing, the denim shirt with brown cord pocketing and elbow pads and a jacket with large felt plaid panels on the front and that same brown cord across the back.
Zoologie pay great attention to the small details. Take the hoods, for example. They have little hat-like brims on them, are lined with a nice checkered pattern and their pull strings are made from a thick rope. Who thought hoods could be so neat? On the theme of hoods, listen to Hood by Perfume Genius. #hood

Images from Zoologie

3. Vanishing Elephant

Stocked in the likes of General Pants, INCU and Fat- not to mention their own brand new store- Vanishing Elephant has become a brand synonymous with Australian streetwear.
With each new VE range comes many tears. Tears of 'shit I can't afford all of these shirts'. Aztec, floral, paisley, striped- they have the lot. But it's the new addition of the on-trend camouflage that I like the most about VE's new range. I clearly like camouflage print a lot. So much so that it's almost making me pro-war. So naturally, I'm a big fan of Vanishing Elephant's spin on the trend. Coming in jumper form as opposed to jacket, it gives you the option of subtly layering a bit of camo into your outfit under a coat or jacket, whilst still providing enough warmth if worn on its own.

On a side note, I wish the model's beard was available for purchase. I can only imagine how much protection it would give you from the savage winter winds.
The collection (minus the beard) is available online.

Images from Vanishing Elephant

4. Jesen

Jesen make great streetwear. Simple as that. Classic chinos, not-so-classic chinos with greyhounds on them (yes, you heard right), basic knits and jumpers, clean shirting- every staple item for a cold winter. In saying that, there are always intelligent little details that make the clothes to stand out. Take, for example, the seaming in the Xavi Sweat (pictured below). It has seam detailing across the chest as well as large white panels on the forearm, so whilst it is still remains aesthetically minimal, it becomes unique instead of boring. Another example is the studded collar on an otherwise plain blue shirt. Staple clothing with individual twists. Great.
Again, it's available online at Jesen's online store or at Comeback Kid.

Images from Jesen

5. Banana Wednesday's
Banana Wednesday's is a young Melbourne-based label (fun fact: the designers went to RMIT #claimtofame). Their second collection 'You Only Live Bananas', as suggested by the name, is vibrant and fun; something you wouldn't typically expect from an A/W collection. But that's precisely why I like it. The bright, Hawaiian-inspired prints will easily brighten up a rainy Melbourne day and will definitely help you stand out against a sea of black clothes. Perfect for those who don't take themselves too seriously in what they wear. My favourite piece is the "Jungle Beats" sweater. The range can be shopped online.

Images from Banana Wednesdays

Special non-Australian mentions:
(because I'm not THAT xenophobic)

Opening Ceremony v Adidas

This collaboration between Opening Ceremony and sporting giant Adidas is too good to ignore. Adidas' sporting mantra permeates this collection, manifesting in athletic jackets, parkas and tees. Also consistent through most of the collection are the distinct paisley patterns which come in either deep blue or bright red hues- different blocks of paisley crash against one another in a seemingly random way which creates very eye-catching imagery that almost looks like patchwork.
According to Opening Ceremony, the collection is due to release in early July. Personally, I've got my eye on one of the paisley jackets and a navy tee as pictured below. In the meantime, eye off the full range at Hypebeast.

Images from Hypebeast

Raf Simons Spring 2013 footwear
Admittedly, I've never really been a fan of sneakers/ runners. I'm scared of them. Sure, I know that they're a widely accepted trend at the moment, giving the wearer instant street cred, but I know if I wear them I'll look less like this and more like this (#junners). It's just like the time I tried to catch the 'bucket hat' trend amongst 10 year olds in '04 (#regretsandmistakes #memoriesmade). Nonetheless, these ones from Raf Simons are undeniably cool in a deliberately tacky way. The shiny, multi-coloured plastic panels are especially fantastic.

Images found on Tumblr: here and here

Source: style.com

Playlist #3: PICK ME UP

You said it sister. #GroanZone

It's Tuesday. The weekend is still forever away. Yes, FOREVER. However, I've made a playlist that will speed up your week and get you excited for your upcoming weekend shenanigans. With the likes of Poolside, Polographia, Duke Dumont as well as some snazzy remixes, your "ugh-it's-only-Tuesday-why-does-lyf-suck-so-much" thoughts shall be temporarily erased.

PICK ME UP from dylanmccarthy on 8tracks Radio.

UNEMPLOYMENT

BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployment. When you hear (or see) that word you automatically conjure images of people standing in the line at Centrelink with scruffy beards, don't you?

Well, I'm unemployed. And I'm pretty sure I don't have a scruffy beard. But that's only because I'm genetically incapable. I weep every time a Gilette ad comes on. Sometimes I collect my cat's stray hairs, glue them to my face and then shave them off just so I can experience the sensation of shaving. Nor am I typing this from the line at Centrelink. I'm in a blanket cocoon on my bed typing with my nose so my arms aren't exposed to the cold. #yoloswag

Overall, being unemployed is a double-edged sword. It's actually not entirely bad. In fact, sometimes it can be really good. It gives you freedom and a generally stress-free lifestyle. I often find myself climbing the big tree in my frontyard and screaming CAPITALIST PIGS at people in my spare time. I'd never be able to do that if I had a job. But yes, other times it can be shit. I also often find myself armed with a sharp rock scraping bark off aforementioned tree in an attempt to make my own money because apparently you 'can't pay the baker' with a 'jar of saliva'.

#MoneyTreeWishesHeExisted #SoDoIBro #So #Do #I #:(

Here are the Best & Worst Things About Being Unemployed:

1. WATCHING DAYTIME TV (GOOD)

I LOVE DAYTIME TV. I wake up at 9 to watch the The Circle, then it's Wurrawhy at 11:30, followed by Ellen at 12 and Ready Steady Cook at 2. Such a beautiful, jobless routine. While you suckers are 'working' and 'making a living', I'm catching up with The Circle Galz and discussing all things from cinnamon cake to Lara Bingle. Heaven- oh it's a place on earth alright.

2. THE DOCTORS (BAD)
I HATE THE DOCTORS. The Doctors is a satanic show that lives in the darkest caves of the daytime TV realm. Next to Dr. Phil and Judge Judy. If you haven't seen it before (you lucky soul) it's a fucking terrible show that's always on when you finally decide to emerge from your room sporting a hangove- OH GOD WHY ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT TOE FUNGI #WobblesBackIntoRoomToHaveAnotherNap. Well, it's even more inescapable when you're jobless and at home most afternoons. I honestly don't know how this show even exists. I have to stop talking about it because it's legitimately putting me in a sour mood.

"We diagnose you with AN HOUR OF SHIT TELEVISION"

3. GUILT-FREE HANGOVERS (GOOD)
When I'm out my friends are always like: "oh man, I have work at 9 tomorrow morning". Then I laugh in their face because at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning I have a date with The Circle Galz and my couch (hi-5, Yumi). Then the next day they'll tell me about how awful work was and how they regretted that third electric pink Cruiser. Then I simply brag to them about all the funny things #TheCircleGalz talked about. Therefore not having a job basically means sinking Cruisers without any hesitation or remorse. Pure bliss.

4. BEING TAUNTED BY SONGS ABOUT MONEY (BAD)

Sure, I don't have much money, but I don't like to be reminded of that sad fact. However, you'd be surprised to find how many songs there are about money. They won't leave me alone. 
What's 50 grand worth to a muhfucker like you, Jay Z? You want me to remind you? Oh wait, that's a rhetorical question. You're implying that it means nothing. WELL I'LL GLADLY RELIEVE YOU OF THAT CASH. #CapitalistPig
Or what about 'Price Tag' by Jessie J? I was driving around town the other day when it came on the radio. "We don't need your money, money, money," she teases. "We just wanna make the wo(ooooo)rld dance, forget about the price tag". I had to pull over because it sent me into a fit of rage.
NO JESSIE J-WALKER (burn) (proud of that one), THE REAL WORLD DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. Sure, I'd love to forget about the price tag. But sadly the staff at American Apparel don't.

It IS about the, ye, cha-chang-cha-chang. It IS about the, ye, bla-bling-bla-bling.

5. BEING YOUR OWN BOSS (GOOD)
I hated my old boss. People used to write "[Boss' name] is a c$%@" everywhere over the store because he was, well, a c$%@ (censoring extreme language for the strong conservative Amish following I've attracted). Then he'd respond to the criticism in a c$%@-like manner and would be surprised when another 5 C-words sprung up out-of-nowhere. #GoodPR
I hated my old supervisors, too. Once this guy made me carry two bins down an escalator even though I warned him that my feeble arms wouldn't be up for the job. Then he made me clean up the mess when said bins made their inevitable fall down the escalator (taking me down with them).
Clearly I've had bad experiences with jobs in the past. Well I don't have to deal with any of that abuse anymore. I'm my own boss. Now I get to decide when I want to tumble down an escalator with two bins full of rotten popcorn. Now I get to yell at myself in the mirror when I write "Dylan is a c$%@" around the house. It's great.

6. MONEY, OR LACK THEREOF (BAD)
"I want to buy you something, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY". You said it, The Drums. But I can't even buy anything for myself, let alone someone else. Sadly, all the daytime TV, guilt-free hangovers and freedom in the world doesn't make up for the fact that I'm borderline broke.

#MeAtSubway

Playlist #2- CAT HART IC

Enough about unemployment, more about music! I made another 8tracks playlist the other day. This one features some brand new stuff from the likes of Purity Ring and M.I.A, as well as still-new-but-not-brand-new tracks from Beat Culture, Paradis and MMOTHS. It starts off dance-y and gradually becomes more mellow after the halfway mark. Enjoy.

CAT HART IC from dylanmccarthy on 8tracks Radio.

TIME

Today's post will cover an array of serious topics an-- NO PLEASE DON'T LEAVE. Give me a chance. Take a chance on me. Actually, considering that I just accidentally quoted Abba, you can leave if you want to. But at least scroll down and listen to the fresh, funky, fuNNy, frUitY (have I persuaded you yet) playlist that I made especially for you. Yes, YOU!
Now that we've sorted the weeds from... from t-the flowers (that's not even a thing) (but I'm pretty much calling u a flower so don't complain) I want to talk about TIME.

This topic was inspired by Days Of Our Lives. I tune in almost every day to get my fix of people-with-freakishly-white-teeth-talking-to-each-other-without-any-attempt-of-making-eye-contact but this time, more so than others, I was struck by the existential implications of the theme song.

The rhythmic violins quickly lulled me into a dream-like state and my eyes became transfixed on the hypnotic hourglass spinning in its clockwise rotation. And finally when the majestic "DAYS OF OUR LIVES" title emerged in the foreground I couldn't help but think about life and how short it is (lol I think I'm the first person to ever think about these crazy connections. #revolutionary #deep #poet #poetic #poetry #shakespeare)

#LikeSandsThroughTheHourglass #SoTooAreTheDaysOfOurLives #WhatIsLifeWhatIsDeath

It's been more than two weeks since I last posted and I honestly don't know what I've done in that time. It's just a vague blur of:

• drinking passion pop like this random woman on google images
• my card getting rejected at Subway because apparently I don't even have $7.95 to my name
• crying because of my card getting rejected at Subway and I don't have $7.95 to my name
• being inspired by YOLO
• staring at this photo for 3 days straight and wondering what life means
• tearing up and shouting "GOOD ON HER" over and over again when an old woman won $100,000 on Hot Seat
• and drunkenly walking into a sliding glass door at 7/11 (lol is that why I can't remember anything) (I mean there was lots of blood and I passed out for 5 hours but I don't think that rly means anything haha =])

As you can see with the above list, it seems that I'm quickly spiralling into a life of mundanity. Time is escaping me. Have I hit rock bottom? Is that why all my friends and family are surrounding me right now, crying on each other's shoulders and screaming 'stop doing this to yourself' at me :S? Also what does 'intervention' mean?
But as a journalism/ PR/ media student I know that I'll have to get used to this life. You know, since Gina Rinehart (who suspiciously has the same name and same body shape as Gina Lash) ate 18% of Fairfax. And, you know, since I can't even get a job at the local supermarket. I think I just wanna become a full-time blanket cocoon now. Either that or a duckling.

Playlist #1- SORE TOOTH

On these loosely connected themes of time, crying about subway sandwiches and the inevitability of my failed career in journalism, I think it's a perfectly optimistic moment to shut up and hand you over to the new playlist. This time I've put it on 8tracks so you can actually play it through in its entirety.

SORE TOOTH from dylanmccarthy on 8tracks Radio.

MOONRISE KINGDOM

So, like, I'm Currently Obssessing Over, Like...

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom

Last night I watched The Royal Tenenbaums. In my winter cave, of course (lol look at me making connections between blog posts). I hadn't watched it in over a year and I forgot how brilliant it was. And how brilliant Wes Anderson is.

Then I remembered Anderon's upcoming release, Moonrise Kingdom, his first since Fantastic Mr. Fox in 2009.

If you haven't seen the trailer already (how's that rock you're living under) (oh no I'm alienating my audience) (lol is it possible to have a negative number of readers) you should definitely watch it now. And if you have seen it, watch it another 8 or 9 times.

I don't know what it is about Moonrise Kingdom that looks so amazing. I mean, the cast looks okay? There's Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Francis McDormand, Bill Murray, TILDA SWINTON- oh crap I'm running out of breath. Actually, EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS MOVIE LOOKS AMAZING. I think I initially got sucked in by the scout uniforms. It really struck a chord with my inner 8-year-old who always longed to join the cub scouts. He didn't really want to be 'playing tennis'. No. He wanted to be across the road, collecting badges and baking cookies. That's where he truly belonged.

Anyway. When you watch the trailer you can't help but think: "I should've been born in the 60s". I know, I know. You hate people who say that. But you don't have a choice. You will be like every 13 year old girl who just listened to Lana Del Rey for the first time and swears she should've been born in the 60s because Lana's hair is 60s, her clothes are 60s and omg I have blue jeans and a white shirt too I SHOULD'VE BEEN BORN IN THE 60S.

Because of this 60s vibe, I think Moonrise Kingdom is the perfect movie to be seen at a drive-in. I've never actually been to a drive-in cinema before (shock! Horror!) but it's my goal this winter to go to one, so it should be yours too. Because I control you. Now put your knife into the baby goat. Also, according to IMDB it comes out in Australia in August, so I think that calls for a... WINTER CAVE: CAR EDITION.

So do yourself a favour. When the time comes, grab some friends, a car, a pile of blankets, a thermal filled with warm milk and pretend, just for one night, that you should've been born in the 60s. Go on, you deserve it.

WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Winter is right around the corner. That means it's almost that time of year when our beds become our best friends again, more so than ever. Our lives are reduced to a cheesy Hilary Duff video clip as we dramatically gaze out at the rainy landscape around us, wondering if it's all some kind of larger metaphor for life. Is that just me? Probably.

"I'm just a bird that's already flown away" - Hilary, fishing for metaphors.

But you know what? I love winter. I love not moving from my bed and I love pretending that I'm Hilary Duff. It's time to embrace your impending hibernation, because let's face it, braving the cold every single weekend isn't always appealing.

So, without further ado, here are my TOP 5 TIPS FOR WINNING AT WINTER ('win' and 'winter' do u get it lol).

1. DITCH YOUR BEST FRIEND.

You don't need them when you have a perfectly good bed. Humans are irrelevant when you have a bed with a nice spongy mattress and 435602 blankets. Sorry Sally Smith, my childhood best friend, but consider yourself DITCHED.

2. MAKE YOUR HIBERNATION CAVE

Everyone needs a hibernation cave. Something like this:

However, admittedly, that's more like an early-to-mid-autumn cave rather than the heavy-duty-winter cave that we're after. Aim for something like this but a) make it on top of your bed, b) have 435602 more blankets and c) you'll need infinity more CAT PILLOWS (you can never have enough cat pillows).

3. DISCOVER THE HIDDEN POTENTIAL OF TOASTERS

I'm sick of toasters being under appreciated. You know how TVs have migrated from the lounge room to the kitchen? Well, I think it's time that the good-old-fashioned toaster gets a bit of the limelight and infiltrates other rooms of the house, too. Starting with the bedroom.

The must have accessory of this winter is a TOASTER ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE. Who wants to have to 'get up' and 'go to the kitchen' to 'make toast'? No-one.

Congratulations! Your winter is now filled with endless amounts of avocado on toast. Thank me later. (note: you should also have a basket of avocados in your cave at all times)

4. DRESS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE ARMY

Fun fact: everyone becomes 3x more attractive when they're wearing army print. So, for those rare and regretful moments when we're forced to go outside (shudder), you're going to need an army jacket to keep you nice and warm. I've currently got my eye on this one by Jesen, available online at Comeback Kid. 

Army/ camo is easily my favourite trend this winter and GRIMES WEARS ARMY JACKETS AND I'LL DO ANYTHING SHE WANTS ME TO, SO SIGN ME UP.

(Another fun fact: I once slaughtered a baby goat because Grimes told me to. The carcass now sits in the western-most corner of my winter cave for feng shui purposes. It has fermented very nicely.)

Look into my eyes, Dylan. Now put your knife into that baby goat...

5. WHISK UP A WONDERFUL WINTER PLAYLIST

Probably the most essential thing you need to win winter. Personally, I enjoy a balance between mellow vibes and dance-y vibes in my winter playlist, mainly so the rain doesn't get me down-in-the-dumps. See if some of these songs are worthy of entering your playlist:

Beach House- Lazuli
Zoo Kid- Ocean Bed

Purity Ring- Obedear

Baio- Sunburn Modern
Beat Culture- Useless

Dante- Next To You
World's End Press- Second Day Uptown

On that note, I'm returning to my hibernation. Avocado toast and green tea awaits me. Ciao.

LAGOON OF YOUTH

So, like, I'm Currently Obssessing Over, Like...

Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation

Last week I nabbed some tickets to Youth Lagoon’s Splendour sideshow in July, which I’m insanely excited about, so recently I’ve been dedicating a lot of my 30 minute Uni commute to my dear-friend-who-doesn’t-know-we’re-friends-yet, the mastermind behind Youth Lagoon, Trevor Powers.

I couldn’t stop playing this album when it dropped in September last year. And I haven't really stopped since. There’s something about it that lulls you into some weird nostalgic state (with tracks like “July” and “Montana”) and you find yourself thinking about how good childhood was and how stressful Uni is and then you start crying uncontrollably. But then, contrastingly, there’s even more happy songs that you can bop along to, like “Daydream” and “Cannons”. The washed out, lo-fi vocals (which were achieved by recording his own voice echoing in his friend’s basement) seem to have either one of those effects, and sometimes both at the same time.

Favorite track(s):

“July” is probably my #1 tune on The Year Of Hibernation. I look at the song as having two distinct halves. The first almost-three-minutes is almost ambient, with Powers oo-ing and oh-ing in a catchy tune that you’ll probably find yourself whistling on the way to work. Then someone in a car throws rotten fruit at you. Then you're forced to explain to your boss why your clothes are covered in rotten fruit. And then, finally, it kicks in, with the vocals suddenly transforming into a shout. And then the catchy ooo’s are back and OH ITS JUST PERFECT and then it ends and it’s all just so cathartic and nostalgic and oh crap I’m crying again. Superb track.

(Also, you should definitely watch the video clip. It’s one of my favourite clips ever. It’s super intense and reminds me of the movie 'Melancholia').